Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-26
Moving n 34O-Fect Bridge As Feet
i'm Is Minutes.
A Lancaster, Pa. dispatch of Aug

a LdiiCdStcT, IL. ulSptttCii vi huSuot
Sth to the Philadelphia Press says:
An event for which Lancaster peo-
pie have long been looking occurred
this morning in the removal from the
stone abutments to temporary timber
trestles of the iron bridge belonging to
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
crossing the Conestoga creek about
mile from this city. The movement,
which had been delayed a week by
the washout at Coatsville demanding
the services OF the carpenters there,
had been well advertised, and over
5000 people-men, women and chill
dren-gathered on the banks of the
creek to witness the spectacle, the
drivers of custom vehicles doing a
bigger business than on circus days.
Additional interest was given the
movements by the fact that the Con-
estoga bridge was the largest thus far
removed by the company's carpenters,
being $40 feet long and weighing
nearly 42S tons. The bridge was
erected about thirty years ago, the
main body OF the structure being sixty
feet above the water. Many lemonade
and peanut venders enliyened the
scene with their presence, these en-
terprising individuals evidently i'm
agining that the work of removal
would consume the entire day.
Master carpenter w. X. Beard, of
Lancaster, who had entire charge OF
the work, had planned it otherwise,
however. Carpenters and trackmen
had been engaged since the I'd of
June in erecting the roadway around
the bridge and the mammoth timber
supports on which the iron super
structure was to rest. The new road
way erected is over 1900 feet in length
and rests on eighty-five heavy timber
trestles, ranging in height from three
to forty-five feet, over 30O, 900 feet OF
timber being consumed in its construc-
ton. 1t was erected north of the pres
ent structure, and to place the bridge
on its temporary resting place required
it to be moved forty-five feet. Every
thing was completed by last Thurs
day, when the bridge was lacked
up ten inches and placed on iron roll
lers resting between railroad rails. Six
crabs were placed on the north of the
bridge to pull it into its new position
with block and rope. A test made
yesterday afternoon showed that
everything was in proper working or
der, and it was resolved to complete |
the work of removal to-day as soon as
the 9 30 A. NJ. train from Philadelphia |
had passed over. Superintendent |
Quicker and a number of other officials
of the company came up on a special
train to witness the moving, and rs
soon as the train had passed over the
rails were cut and everything COM
pleted. Four men were placed at each
crab and 9.47 Superintendent Beard
gave the word to go ahead. Without
a strain the huge structure began to
move, one end being slightly ahead of
the other at times, but only for
a moment and without any jar.
Superintendent Quicker stood on the
end of the timber structure watch in
hand timing the removal, and it was
precisely fifteen minutes from the
time Master Carpenter Eeard gave the
word to 90 ahead that the bridge ar
rived at its new position, forty-five
feet from its original position. AS it
did so the great crowd gave vent to
to their enthusiasm and sent up cheer
after cheer for the brilliant success
attained.
As soon as the bridge was in place
the carpenters and trackmen set to
work to make the bridge secure in its
position and make the proper connec-
tions, and in an hour and twenty min
utes from the time the work of remov-
al began Superintendent Gucker's pri-
vate car passed over, being met half
way by a train from the opposite di-
rection. The freight traffic Of the road
was then resumed, having been sub
jected to very slight detention.
The work of removal was complete
success and superintendent Quicker
warmly congratulated master carpen-
ter Beard on the manner in which he
conducted it. The present structure
on which the bridge rests is pro-
nounced fully as strong as the original
supports. The bridge will remain
where it is until the completion of
the stone structure, some time in the
fall, when it will be removed to Har-
sinus Cove, N. j. on the New York